CHARLES ALEXANDER BURNETT

CHARLES ALEXANDER BURNETT
from his Alexandria, Virginia, period, circa 1790-1796

An original set of EIGHT handmade large fine heavy
coin silver PLACE SPOONS
(18th century "TABLESPOONS", the size of modern serving spoons)

Each is 8-3/4 to 9" long, with back-arched oval handle & long incised drop characteristic of his Virginia (1790-96) period
Each is personalized with the original owner's script spray' monogram "D",
Weight of the eight : 16.08 troy ounces

Each spoon is well-struck on back of handle with crisp legible mark :
C . A . BURNETT in rectangle
(the large [11/16"] version of mark b [surname-with-pellets mark] *)

While in Virginia Burnett also made a pair of pint canns for William Fitzhugh [1741-1809] and his wife Ann Randolf (living at Chatham in Fredericksburg before moving in 1799 to 607 Oronoco Street --now known as Robert E. Lee's Boyhood Home-- in Alexandria).
A pair of beakers descended from George Washington, thus acquired prior to Washingtons's death in 1799, are in the collection of the U.S. Naval Academy.

C.A.Burnett, Chronology
1769 : born 10 February 1769 in King George County, Virginia
1788-1790/93 : in Fredericksburg, apprenticed to silversmith James Brown
1793 : in Alexandria, reported advertising as an independent silversmith (using his personal name mark C . A . BURNETT )
1796-1806 : in Georgetown, D.C., in partnership with John E. Rigden & (marking with partnership name "Burnett & Rigden", "B&R" )

1807 - 1848 : in Georgetown using various marks on items of federal & later styles

* -- Reference : Catherine Hollin. Virginia Silversmiths, Jewelers, Watch and Clockmakers, 1607-1860, their Lives & Marks. Hollan Press, 2010.

# gbb 25001 ................................................................set of eight, $ 1,900.